A year after learning of her brain tumor, a Middle Tennessee woman is sharing her incredible story of survival.

It's something Dianna Milam has done dozens of times, but singing at church now has even more special meaning.

"It's a psalm that talks about coming through a hard time," Milam said.

About a year ago, she couldn't work on her music without being in pain.

"I knew something was wrong. I'm normally a healthy person. I started to feel dizzy. Light started to bother in weird ways. I was dropping things in the kitchen," Milam said.

An MRI revealed she had a brain tumor. And while doctors figured out the best plan of action, she struggled with an uncertain future.

"To have a tumor in your head feels like an alien has invaded your head," Milam said.

Late last summer, she underwent a minimally invasive surgery at the Skull Base Institute in Los Angeles, where specialists used a tiny endoscope to remove the tumor after making a small incision behind the ear.

Two days later, Milam was out of the ICU and beginning her recovery.

Now, as she eases back into her routine, she's thinking a lot about what it will be like to once again sing without pain.

"It means so much to me to be doing something that gives back to people who have been so generous to me," Milam said. "It's just my chance to say, 'I'm back.'"

Milam is recovering very well. After the surgery, she suffered no hearing loss, no facial paralysis and no balance disorder.